Umar Nurmagomedov maintained his unbeaten record by securing a unanimous decision victory against Cory Sandhagen at the UFC Fight Night in Abu Dhabi, positioning himself for a potential bantamweight title bout.
Ranked 10th and a relative of the renowned UFC Hall of Famer Khabib Nurmagomedov, Umar outshone the second-ranked Cory in both striking and grappling during their five-round contest at the Etihad Arena. Supported by a fervent crowd and with Khabib as his coach, the 28-year-old Umar achieved scores of 50-45, 49-46, and 49-46 from the judges over the 32-year-old American, who also put up a commendable fight.
"He (Cory) proved to be more resilient than anticipated. He was as tough as steel. I believe I dominated every round. I attempted to bring him down, but his defense was solid," Umar commented post-fight. The Dagestani intensified his performance in the last two rounds, delivering effective strikes and successful takedowns.
